Sagara Sanosuke
Sagara Sanosuke (相楽 左之助 ) is a fictional character from the Rurouni Kenshin anime and manga series created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. He is known as Sanosuke Sagara in the English adaptation of the anim e and is nicknamed Sano. Watsuki, being a fan of the Shinsengumi, created Sanosuke by basing his name and characteristics on that of a real Shinsengumi member named Harada Sanosuke. Set during a fictional version of Japan in the pre-Meiji period, Sanosuke is a former member of the Sekihotai. When the group is destroyed by the Meiji Government, he becomes a fighter-for-hire to calm his anger by fighting. During his introduction in the series, he encounters the wanderer Himura Kenshin, who easily defeats him and is able to convince him to stop his mercenary work and instead start protecting people. After that encounter, Sanosuke becomes Kenshin's best friend as well as his partner in most of their fights. He has also appears in the featured film of the series and in other media relating to the Rurouni Kenshin franchise, including a plethora of electronic games and original video animations (OVAs). Numerous anime and manga publications have commented on Sanosuke's character. Mania Entertainment praised his character development, noting that he becomes more trustworthy and reliable as the series progresses. SciFi.com referred to him as a "video-game icon", and noted how he is portrayed as a "tragic figure". Sanosuke has been popular with the Rurouni Kenshin reader base, placing second in every popularity poll. Merchandise based on Sanosuke has also been released, including key chains, and plush dolls. Creation and conception Sanosuke was one of the last major figures of the series to be created. Watsuki created him to be Kenshin's best friend, who is willing to punch him when he is sad to make him "wake up" from his sadness. Although Sanosuke is a main character in the series, Watsuki felt that he could not write everything he wanted about him, and thought that making him the title character of a series would prove interesting. Watsuki describes Sanosuke's visual motif by referring to his design model, Lamp, the main character of Takeshi Obata's Mashin Bōken Tan Lamp-Lamp. Watsuki, working as an assistant on Obata's manga, formed the character by doodling in sketchbooks, adding and subtracting elements from the proposed character "with blessings from the original artist, of course". Watsuki saw Shiba Ryōtarō's version of Harada as the one he wanted to use as a model for his design and has said that the character's big spiky hair is the strangest element he has ever drawn. In July 2006, the Japanese publishers of Rurouni Kenshin released the kanzenban edition. In the fifth kanzenban, Watsuki redesigned the character of Sanosuke in a draft version. To emphasize his hate of the Meiji Government, Watsuki drew the Japanese kanji for "bad" (惡 ,aku) on the back of Sanosuke's jacket; in the original series, the tattoo is located inside his clothes. Unlike in the manga where Sanosuke uses a zanbatō as a weapon, Watsuki gave him a sword notably larger in size. He also gave him an armor-like cloth to make him look more as a warrior. In the anime adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin, Watsuki's designs were combined with the voice talents of Yūji Ueda, a seiyū. In producing the English dub version of the series, Media Blasters chose Lex Lang as Sanosuke's voice actor. When writing Sanosuke's dialogue, Clark Cheng, the writer of the English dub script, noted that the character was smarter than he would have liked in the first few episodes, and tried slowly to change the character's dialogue to make him seem dumber so he would be more similar to the Japanese version of the series. Techniques "Mastery of the two layers" This is not his original technique he learned this technique from "Angry God" Anji. It is a series of two hits that are within 1/75 of a second. The first hit nullifies any resistance the target has and the second destroys the target. "Mastery of the three layers" His original technique which along with the first two strikes he pushes open his fist creating a third strike this was used to defeat the creator (Anji) of the two layers. Character Outline Personality he destruction of the Sekihotai and the loss of all his friends has caused Sanosuke to hate the Meiji Government and he wears the Japanese kanji for "evil" (惡 ,aku) on the back of his jacket. He bears this symbol as a mark of his loyalty towards his past in the Sekihotai, but it also serves as a reminder that he will defend innocent people who have been wronged so others can avoid the same suffering he experienced. Sanosuke's influence on other characters is demonstrated when they place the same symbol of the Japanese kanji on their backs, as does his "younger brother" Higashidani Ota. Myojin Yahiko wears a smaller version of the kanji when he comes of age at the end of the manga. Despite hating the Meiji Government, Sanosuke becomes Kenshin's best friend and sees him as a gentle person. Sanosuke compares Kenshin to his former captain, Sagara Sōzō, whom he admires. Although Sanosuke may punch him occasionally for preventing him from fighting, Kenshin notes this makes Sanosuke is his most reliable friend, always willing to help. Since Sanosuke stops working as a fighter-for-hire after meeting Kenshin, he usually does not have money, asking his friends to pay for him even though he never returns the money. His lack of money has resulted in large debts to a restaurant in Tokyo; this situation is a recurring comical theme. He also forms friendly relationships with other main characters, notably with doctor Takani Megumi. Because Sanosuke is injured several times throughout the series, Megumi usually takes care of him and warns him about the dangers of fighting, but he never pays attention to her advice, and has to ask her to treat him again. He tends to flirt (badly) with her at times as he does with other women. Sanosuke enjoys fighting and always seeks strong opponents to test his strength, even if the opponent is a friend. Sanosuke admires several fighters throughout the series, referring to them as "invincible" and showing them respect regardless of their morality. He eventually starts a rivalry with the former Shinsengumi member Saito Hajime when they first fight in the manga. Because of the fights he loses against him, Sanosuke sees Saitō as the person he has to surpass in order to become "really stronger". Category:Characters